The present invention relates to the subject matter disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 11-056493, filed on Mar. 4, 1999, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image data communications apparatus such as a network facsimile apparatus, and a method of communicating image data.
2. Background Information
When a user sends data through a facsimile machine, the data generally contains a transmitter""s identification. The transmitter""s identification is usually registered at the facsimile machine, and is overwritten on image data or printed on the upper end of the image data received by a recipient. The transmitter""s identification is generally input to the facsimile machine through its operation panel. Identification data created by a personal computer (PC) can be also sent into a facsimile machine via the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). On the other hand, registration through E-mail (electronic mail) can be practiced in a network facsimile that communicates through a network such as the Internet.
As discussed above, using a regular facsimile machine, a recipient can identify who sent a message even it has no name in a xe2x80x9cFrom:xe2x80x9d line, because the transmitter""s identification is overwritten on the message or printed on the upper end of the received paper. However, in the case of the network facsimile, a message does not always arrive at a facsimile machine, but it may arrive at a terminal of a PC or a workstation, which is capable of receiving E-mail. In such a case, the terminal confirms the arrival of data with E-mail browsing software, and because the message is sent as a file attached to the E-mail, a recipient cannot identify who sent the message until the recipient reads the attached file.
When the recipient answers the message through a reply finction of the browsing software, the answer is always sent back to the facsimile machine that has sent the message. Therefore, if an intended person does not watch the machine for the arrival of an answer, or another person is present at the machine, the answer is sometimes misplaced or delivered to a wrong address.
Further, a facsimile machine""s operation panel does not easily register multi-digit data such as a mail address, and further, such registering is time consuming. On the other hand, registration through the PSTN requires a dedicated program at a PC side, and this method thus has not become popular. Registration through E-mail allows a simple input operation; however, a format readable by a facsimile machine must be employed. Thus, the operator must be furnished with some knowledge before registering a mail address.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a communications device and a method of communication, through which a recipient can identify a transmitter before opening a file attached to an E-mail when the recipient receives the E-mail with E-mail browsing software.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a communications device and a method of communication, through which a transmitter can send an answer to an intended person when the transmitter uses a reply function of the E-mail browsing software.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a communications device and a method of communication, where a transmitter""s identification can be registered with a simple operation without any special knowledge.
A communications device of the present invention comprises the following elements in order to achieve these objects: an image data creating section; an image data sending section for sending image data according to an E-mail message transfer protocol; and a register for registering a plurality of identifications of the transmitter. The device also includes an identification sending section for selecting one of the identifications and sending it through E-mail.
Using the communications device having the elements discussed above, when a transmitter sends image data by E-mail over the Internet, an operator (in most cases the transmitter is an operator) puts the identification in a xe2x80x9cFrom:xe2x80x9d line for each mail based on the transmitter""s intention. A recipient then can identify the transmitter before opening a file attached to the image data. When the recipient answers the E-mail using a reply function of the E-mail browsing software, this communications device allows the answer data to reach an intended person.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the communications device does not output the registered data or HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) document for data input when an unauthorized request is received. Such an HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) request comes from a host or an address different from the registered hosts or IP (Internet Protocol) addresses. In response to the unauthorized request, the device is prevented from displaying the registered document or registration screen. Therefore, the communications device of the present invention allows an transmitter""s identification to be registered or displayed only when a registered host or a registered IP address holder makes a request. The identifications are thus kept confidential and are not disclosed to non-registered hosts and IP addresses.